Striking

No. If I tried a strike at work I would just be told to p1ss off!

Ditto!

My BIL will be. I only know because I was at their house the other day and saw "Strike Day" written on their calendar! I haven't spoken to him about it. If I'm honest, I'm not entirely sure what it's all about - I haven't really been paying attention.

Cricks you cynic. You can't possibly believe that the government would release these figures just before planned strike action? I mean, it could do even further damage to the public sector workers' cause! Surely the government wouldn't want that? Hmmm...

And no, I'm private sector so won't be striking.

And OH is police so isn't allowed to strike despite getting sh1t on from a great height.

The key word in that article is "average" and the key problem is lumping together all types of job based on industry sector.

To massively generalise, the public sector workforce is comprised of a relatively narrow band of degree-educated people. The private sector workforce is a far wider band of low-to-high education/pay, with a very large ratio of lower-paid unskilled workers who drag the "average" figure down.

These figures don't compare like-for-like jobs in either sector. They are comparing a bunch of cleaners to a bunch of teachers! For my job, I get paid less in the public sector than I would in the private sector.

WFS.

Mr RB, who is a teacher, might be striking. He can't really afford to lose a day's pay, especially at this time of year, so he hasn't decided yet. He feels he ought to though. He will definitely be in the minority if he doesn't.

I work for the NHS and I am a union member, but I won't be striking. I have never believed that striking does anything other than stir up bad feelings.

Nurses and teachers etc get paid far more in the private sector, the decent pension and generous annual leave is the only thing that keeps some people working in the public sector - the conditions aren't exactly great otherwise.

I wont be striking. I have to walk past the "picket line" to get in my office though, which I'm not looking forward to. I fear I could get bombarded with eggs or something.

To be honest, I'm not really sure I understand it all, we're going to have to contribute more to get less or something? I still believe that by the time I actually retire (in about 40 years) there'll be no money anyway. Anything I've put in, they'll have spent before I can claim it.

Yes, in a nutshell.

The strike affects both my Mum and Husband - Mum works for the local council, and is off next week so misses it (booked weeks ago). H works for a Community College and he doesn't want to strike as we feel that strikes do not really achieve anything but bad feelings, but he works with a fair few firebrands, who would ostracise him if he didn't strike. He doesn't know what to do.

i raised this as en example as plenty of people will be taking their figures from the Mail, or similarly written publications.

Yes, my Husband will be striking and if I was still at work I would be striking too. All of my old office are striking and I would never dream of crossing a picket line. We cant afford to lose the days pay as we are at the very lowest end of the civil service but I've been brought up by a working class family and all the workers pulling together as as my husband. What is the point in being a union member if you are not going to strike? When I was at work I never worked a strike day and booking holidays or ringing in sick on strike days was also considered "scab" behaviour. Out of the 360 in our office I think 4 people worked the strike day, they were all spoken to on the picket line.

So why doesnt she work in the private sector then ?

Rather remarkably, some people might feel that high pay is not the most important thing they want in a job

What do you mean by "spoken to"?

Isnt the striking all around money ?

Yes, but more about what might be a fair wage/pension, without demanding what someone perceives as unecessarily high.

This confuses me, but to be honest, that is not difficult !

So all public service workers are striking because they want other people to pay more into their pension fund for them ? And also an increase in wages ?

I work for a University but we are not publicly funded (it's distance learning), I will not be striking but support the strike.

I have friends who are teachers, I used to be a teacher and think that they earn every penny they get. I used to do loads of unpaid yet necessary overtime. I worked out that I was being paid less than the minimum wage per hour when I divided my salary by the hours actually worked per week (around 50-60). I actually left because I would rather get fewer holidays and a worse pension (and a pay cut) than work in such conditions.

I have also learnt that the teachers' pension is not losing money so NOT being subsidised by the tax payer-in fact more is paid in than is taken out. So it is unfair to penalise the teacher's pension scheme.

In terms of other jobs for cleaners, nurses and other lower paid staff- if the government want to change the pension scheme for the worst then they should pay a fairer wage in order to allow these people to save a bit more for their retirement. They will certainly need it!

They were asked if they were union members, if not if they were interested in becoming union members and if they understood what the strike was about. I know that one lad changed his mind about crossing the line and went home. They are not egg throwers or anything though!

I work for the NHS so many of my colleagues will be out. I'm in the RCN which although does apparently support the strike, as usual wimped out and didn't ballot its members. TBH I'm relieved it falls on my usual day off, I really would have struggled to decide what to do. I support the strike, but whether or not I could have done it...I don't know. I was brought up thinking nurses don't strike. Its come as a bit of a shock to find that they just might

I'm in the Royal College of Nursing too, so won't be striking

According to the Unison rep who spoke to us at the hospital, we have to work longer and contribute more, while getting less in return. I don't know whether OH and I will be able to physically work until we're 65 (due to the physical nature of our work), but looks like we'll have to.

I don't really understand it all, but the Unison guy said that the tax payer doesn't actually pay for our pensions

I am fairly sure I would earn less doing my job in the Public sector. But they do get benefits of more holidays, long term sick pay and better maternity packages than the majority of private sector workers.

I don't know the ins and outs of it but I do remember last time the public sector pensions row kicked off (does it ever really go away) a lot of the animosity people felt was borne out of people not understanding the difference between the State Pension and an occupational pension which happens to be connected to the state on account of the state being the employer. The ignorance on this point was quite, quite staggering.

No-one has spoken to us at work, as far as I was aware the RCN has a no strike agreement. I don't think I'll be striking, I'm not sure what OH is going to do. Yes we do get paid less then the private sector, but they get less annual leave. I personally don't want to be working til I'm 75 because I can't afford to retire.

We won't be working until we're 75 though!

I don't know if public sector wages are good or not. I know my Mum doesn't get paid much for her admin work, and I also know that my brother gets paid a lot more than me, and OH and I are literally making decisions about people's lives (One wrong decision and people can die! No pressure then?!)

We get 7 weeks annual leave, but not sure if this cancels out the wages or not? Saying that, I'm earning more than I ever have, so I think I'm doing well.

I joined the pension scheme as it was better than private pensions, but what I find weird is that they're just allowed to change it once we're on the scheme

I may be wrong but I don't think there has been any mention of increase in wages in relation to the strike next week, my understanding is it is all to do with pensions. Basically I think Nursebride has it right when she says that public sector workers are being asked to pay more each month, work for longer (8 years in some cases) and so pay into their pensions for longer and then get less pension at the end than they would under the current agreement.

I think, for what it's worth, it perhaps isn't that sensible to compare public and private. The arguement of 'they get more than me so they should get less to make it fair' is a little silly in my opinion. It's like saying 'I'm homeless, you have a home, thats unfair, so you should put yourself on my level to make it fair.' Surely we should be saying 'you don't get enough lets work on getting you more.'

In respect to classing nurses as lower paid staff, I do not think the pay is much worse than that of other public sector workers ie teachers and police, in fact I earn more than friends/family who are teachers who are the same age. I think for the skill and expertise along with the responsibility the package as a whole probably isnt very favourable.

I shall not be striking as it is negligence to the intensive care patients I look after, without a nurse per patient, their health and wellbeing could be detrimental. I can appreciate people who are striking feel this is the only way they can turn to be heard (if the government/managers actually do listen!) but personally, I have a job I love, thats as stable as it can be... I feel there are people much worse off than myself or fellow nurses!

I am a teacher and in a union which is striking so yes I will be striking. I am not quite sure what it is all about TBH but if I didn't strike then other members who did strike would create an atmosphere as they are fighting for our rights and I would be 'benefiting' from them - this is assuming the strike is going to get us anywhere!!

The lower grades of public sector jobs (which the majority are, for example you need a large team of "worker bees with only one higer grade queen bee in laymens terms" are notoriously low paid. The public need people to work in public sector jobs hence the name. There has to be an incentive. These jobs are largely lower paid so therefore whats keeping people in them is the "benefits" pensions, 25 days annual leave, maternity leave etc. Take these away and new influx of public sector workers would rapidly decrease.

If you went on strike in a private sector job it would likely be inefficient as there would not be enough workforce out to make anyone sit up and take notice. There will be such a vast number "all out" next Wednesday that people have to listen. Each person will be losing a days pay, so its not as you say, as easy as just not turning up for work, we as a household with only one of us working now as I am too ill to work, certainly cant afford to lose that days pay but we certainly wouldn't let the side down by my husband crossing a picket line and going into work. Annoying or not, our consciences are clear.

It may not be the 'correct' way to deal with it but people feel they can't do anything else, the government wouldn't discuss the issue with the unions intially, how else do people get their feelings across. I'm sure lots of the strikers don't want to loose a days pay and may not agree with striking or want the reprocussions that causes to their work but when you are in a union you should support the union actions, otherwise why be in it. In what way should they deal with it?